How to interact with a Terminal in python

Question

I'm working on a small script. The script should open 3 terminals and interact with this terminals independently.

I am pretty understand that subprocess is the best way to do that. What I've done so far:

# /usr/bin/env python
import subprocess

term1 = subprocess.Popen(["open", "-a", "Terminal"], stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
term1.communicate(input="pwd")

My problem is I cannot interact with a new terminal. this part term1.communicate(input="pwd") is not working. I cannot send a command to a new Terminal. I also tried term1.communicate(input="pwd\n") but nothing happens

Do you any ideas how can I do that?

P.S. I am using Mac OS.

Do you really need to open a new terminal for what you are trying to accomplish, or do you just need to run pwd and capture the output? — user2085282
– user2085282, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 19:15
Also, communicate waits until the process has completed, Terminals generally don't exit until closed, so it makes sense that it does nothing. — user2085282
– user2085282, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 19:23
@user2085282 in my case I have to run 2 commands: "sudo tcprelay telnet" and "tcprelay --portoffset [arg1] [arg2]" but problem is if I run one of the command without opening a new Terminal I will not be able to run the second until the first one is done/terminated. That's why I use this solution — STK
– STK, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 20:38
Just a head's up, you don't want to be using sudo inside of your script. instead, check if you have elevated privileges using os.getuid() == 0 and run the command as normal — user2085282
– user2085282, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 21:41

anderspitman · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-12 20:47:43Z

4

You can run both commands concurrently without opening terminals.

import subprocess
process1 = subprocess.Popen(["ls", "-l"])
process2 = subprocess.Popen(["ls", "-l"])

If you run that code you will see that the directory is listed twice, interleaved together. You can expand this for your specific needs:

tcprelay1 = subprocess.Popen(["tcprelay", "telnet"])
tcprelay2 = subprocess.Popen(["tcprelay", "--portoffset [arg1] [arg2]")

answered Sep 12, 2014 at 20:47

anderspitman

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2 Comments

STK Over a year ago

problem is I have to use "sudo" commannd in tcprealy1 and have to communicate with this.

anderspitman Over a year ago

You're going to have to run your python script with sudo then, and be careful... You can still communicate with the processes, I just left that part out.

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